The present invention relates generally to disc drive data storage systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to head gimbal assemblies (HGAs) and capture configurations for routing conductors and a protective sleeve across a load beam of an HGA.
HGAs used in disc drive data storage systems typically include three components, a slider, a gimbal and a load beam. The slider includes a hydrodynamic air bearing surface (ABS) and a transducer for reading information from and/or writing information to a spinning data storage disc. The gimbal is attached to the slider and is resilient in the pitch and roll directions of the slider as it follows the topography of the disc. The gimbal is rigid in the yaw and in the in-plane directions, thereby enabling precise slider and transducer positioning over the disc.
The load beam is attached to a support arm and to the gimbal. The load beam is resilient in the vertical direction as the slider follows the topography of the disc, and is rigid in the in-plane directions to enable precise slider and transducer positioning. The load beam includes a preload bend to apply a force, to the gimbal and slider, which opposes the hydrodynamic lifting force developed by the slider""s ABS when proximate the spinning disc. Typically, the load beam is mounted on a base plate, which is then attached to the support arm.
A number of HGAs are combined to create a head-stack assembly in a single disc drive. Electrical signals are sent to and received from each transducer via conductor wires routed between the slider and support arm. The wires are placed inside of a flexible tube or sleeve to protect them and to simplify hand routing. Typically, the protective sleeve is secured to the load beam by bendable metal tabs. For example, load beams typically include at least one tab or capture, referred to as a load beam tab or capture, on the substantially rigid section of the load beam between the preload bend and the slider. Load beams also typically include at least one tab or capture, referred to as a base plate tab or capture, formed on the resilient section of load beam which is attached via a base plate the support arm. In current HGA designs, the protective conductor sleeve is longitudinally constrained (i.e., held against longitudinal displacement or pulling out) by the load beam captures on the rigid section of the load beam. Typically, the base plate captures allow longitudinal displacement or slipping of the sleeve, but constrain the sleeve from moving in all directions orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.
A problem with existing HGA conductor sleeve capture configurations is that the base plate captures on the load beam, which typically allow longitudinal displacement of the protective sleeve, do not isolate the sleeve section located near the preload bend of the load beam from tension and compression forces induced during handling of the HGA. For example, while attaching the load beam to the support arm using the base plate, significant tension and compression forces can be exerted on the protective sleeve. These forces can change the applied preload force of the HGA.
The present invention provides a solution to this and other problems, and offers other advantages over the prior art.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a load beam and a disc drive data storage system using the same are disclosed. The load beam includes a resilient section adapted for attachment to a support arm, and a substantially rigid section coupled to the resilient section and coupleable to a gimbal. The resilient and rigid load beam sections are separated by a preload bend. A first slide capture is included on the rigid load beam section and is adapted to slidably secure a conductor sleeve to the rigid section such that the sleeve can move longitudinally therethrough. The first slide capture substantially constrains conductor sleeve movement orthogonal to longitudinal movement. A first longitudinal inhibiting capture is included on the resilient load beam section and is adapted to secure the sleeve to the resilient section such that longitudinal displacement of the conductor sleeve proximate the first longitudinal inhibiting capture is constrained.